diff --git a/beets/config_default.yaml b/beets/config_default.yaml
index b59ce3297..8599d7091 100644
--- a/beets/config_default.yaml
+++ b/beets/config_default.yaml
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ import:
     group_albums: no
     pretend: false
     search_ids: []
-    duplicate_keys: albumartist album
+    duplicate_keys:
+        album: albumartist album
+        single: artist title
     duplicate_action: ask
     bell: no
     set_fields: {}
diff --git a/beets/importer.py b/beets/importer.py
index a671a9d8e..02a9cc43d 100644
--- a/beets/importer.py
+++ b/beets/importer.py
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ class ImportTask(BaseImportTask):
 
         duplicates = []
         task_paths = {i.path for i in self.items if i}
-        keys = config['import']['duplicate_keys'].as_str_seq()
+        keys = config['import']['duplicate_keys']['album'].as_str_seq()
         info['albumartist'] = info['artist']
         # Create an Album object so that flexible attributes can be used.
         tmp_album = library.Album(lib, **info)
@@ -893,12 +893,17 @@ class SingletonImportTask(ImportTask):
         self.is_album = False
         self.paths = [item.path]
 
-    def chosen_ident(self):
-        assert self.choice_flag in (action.ASIS, action.APPLY, action.RETAG)
+    def chosen_info(self):
+        """Return a dictionary of metadata about the current choice.
+        May only be called when the choice flag is ASIS or RETAG
+        (in which case the data comes from the files' current metadata)
+        or APPLY (in which case the data comes from the choice).
+        """
+        assert self.choice_flag in (action.ASIS, action.RETAG, action.APPLY)
         if self.choice_flag in (action.ASIS, action.RETAG):
-            return (self.item.artist, self.item.title)
+            return dict(self.item)
         elif self.choice_flag is action.APPLY:
-            return (self.match.info.artist, self.match.info.title)
+            return self.match.info.copy()
 
     def imported_items(self):
         return [self.item]
@@ -919,14 +924,14 @@ class SingletonImportTask(ImportTask):
         """Return a list of items from `lib` that have the same artist
         and title as the task.
         """
-        artist, title = self.chosen_ident()
+        info = self.chosen_info()
 
         found_items = []
-        query = dbcore.AndQuery((
-            dbcore.MatchQuery('artist', artist),
-            dbcore.MatchQuery('title', title),
-        ))
-        for other_item in lib.items(query):
+        keys = config['import']['duplicate_keys']['single'].as_str_seq()
+        # Create an Item object so that flexible attributes can be used.
+        tmp_item = library.Item(lib, **info)
+
+        for other_item in tmp_item.duplicates(*keys):
             # Existing items not considered duplicates.
             if other_item.path != self.item.path:
                 found_items.append(other_item)
diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 9f4e5252a..12ea705b6 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -607,6 +607,20 @@ class Item(LibModel):
         i.mtime = i.current_mtime()  # Initial mtime.
         return i
 
+    @classmethod
+    def construct_match_queries(cls, **info):
+        subqueries = []
+        for (key, value) in info.items():
+            # Use slow queries for flexible attributes.
+            fast = key in cls._fields
+            subqueries.append(dbcore.MatchQuery(key, value, fast))
+        return subqueries
+
+    def duplicates(self, *keys):
+        info = {key: self.get(key) for key in keys}
+        subqueries = self.construct_match_queries(**info)
+        return self._db.items(dbcore.AndQuery(subqueries))
+
     def __setitem__(self, key, value):
         """Set the item's value for a standard field or a flexattr."""
         # Encode unicode paths and read buffers.
diff --git a/test/test_importer.py b/test/test_importer.py
index 0e8fe7a61..52cf43bd6 100644
--- a/test/test_importer.py
+++ b/test/test_importer.py
@@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ class ImportDuplicateAlbumTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper,
         # Create import session
         self.importer = self.create_importer()
         config['import']['autotag'] = True
-        config['import']['duplicate_keys'] = 'albumartist album'
+        config['import']['duplicate_keys']['album'] = 'albumartist album'
 
     def tearDown(self):
         self.teardown_beets()
@@ -1313,7 +1313,7 @@ class ImportDuplicateAlbumTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper,
         self.skipTest('write me')
 
     def test_keep_when_extra_key_is_different(self):
-        config['import']['duplicate_keys'] = 'albumartist album flex'
+        config['import']['duplicate_keys']['album'] = 'albumartist album flex'
 
         item = self.lib.items().get()
         import_file = MediaFile(os.path.join(
@@ -1359,6 +1359,7 @@ class ImportDuplicateSingletonTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper,
         self.importer = self.create_importer()
         config['import']['autotag'] = True
         config['import']['singletons'] = True
+        config['import']['duplicate_keys']['single'] = 'artist title'
 
     def tearDown(self):
         self.teardown_beets()
@@ -1395,6 +1396,18 @@ class ImportDuplicateSingletonTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper,
         item = self.lib.items().get()
         self.assertEqual(item.mb_trackid, 'old trackid')
 
+    def test_keep_when_extra_key_is_different(self):
+        config['import']['duplicate_keys']['single'] = 'artist title flex'
+        item = self.lib.items().get()
+        item.flex = 'different'
+        item.store()
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.lib.items()), 1)
+
+        self.importer.default_resolution = self.importer.Resolution.SKIP
+        self.importer.run()
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.lib.items()), 2)
+
     def test_twice_in_import_dir(self):
         self.skipTest('write me')